Question

Nipple or pacifier: 3.3 lbs in 4 weeks only!!! help

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Please enlighten me if you can: my baby boy is one month old, he gained 3.3 lbs in his first month! ,I am EXCLUSIVELY breastfeeding him, the pediatrician scared us saying that he was overfeeding and it would lead to obesity if it continues, she suggested using the pacifier which i would like to avoid, should I be worried?? when to use the pacifier, when to give him the nipple, please help, Many thx :)

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Ok, so here is the 1st thing that came to mind when I read your post. 'that ped is an idiot' but of course I don't know him. However, you are fine, your baby is gaining weight in a very healthy time frame. My son was born 9.1lbs and was gaining weight rapidly, this is very common for BF babies. Typically by the age of 1 they will slow down and then have the same stat's as FF babies. If I were you, I would find a new ped. ..I say this b/c it is very important that your ped that supports your breastfeeding. ..However, is your baby spitting up after the feeding? I am curious as to his weight at birth? B/C that would say he is over fed...Is he satified? B/C he could be pacifing on your breast which is ok. He is only 1 month old I can't believe a ped would say that. I would consult w/ a lactation specialist from your hospital & get the facts. Nonetheless, I want to congratulate you on your decision to Breastfeed...Welcome to the elite world of future perfect babies :-) .

You CANNOT overfeed a breastfed baby (assuming you are not giving pumped milk in bottles). If the baby wants to suck for comfort, then the baby will have a lighter suck and not really get much milk. Babies are fully in control of the flow when put on the breast. It is also very normal for a breastfed baby to gain fast the first few months and then slow down a lot. Breastfed babies are often very chubby, and this does not lead to obesity. Introducing a pacifier early can mess with your supply and cause nipple confusion or latch problems. Pacifiers are not bad for breastfed babies, but wait a few more weeks. And if you can, find a paediatrician who is better educated about breastfeeding.

That actually doesn't seem that bad- my son was over his birth weight within less than a week- and his doc said that usally doesn't happen. When to use the paci: if you know he's full- say he just ate 30 mins ago but he's crying- paci, or if you feed him and he's tired after he's finished insteadof letting him fall asleep with the boob- paci. Sometimes they just like to suck on stuff. How often are you feeding? If you know you're just feeding him when he's hungry then you may just have good thick milk- Darn ;) - some mommas have water milk and some have thick. If he's chunky so what- once he gets crawling this usually diminishes. I had a chunky monkey- he still has big cheecks but he's slim now. I would recommend taking the paci away around 10-11 months- they cry for about a night but thats better than days of crying and asking for it.

Babies DO NOT "overfeed to obesity." After 35 nieces and nephews and recently one of my own (now 6 months), I will with conviction state that you let your BB feed at his pace!
Regarding spit up, it's not an issue if, one, the baby doesn't take note or mind, and two if the amount is only a portion of what was recently consumed. Spit up amounts generally lessen over time and dimish as weight gain increases over 12 lbs. My LO rarely spits up, now at 18 lbs, and it usually happens when she uses her stomach muscles too soon after a meal. I try to keep her in the high chair for a while after meals and it seems to help.

Ok, so born at 37 wks, 6.5lbs. Almost the same stats as my daughter she was born 37 wks and 6.1lbs....Now let me say this most babies spit up after a feeding from their muscles not being strong enough to let out the gases. However, if the spit up is alot, I mean like volital, exocist type, then he or she may have acid reflux which can cause fussiness and discomfort. I will say that my daughter did have this but we cured it by visiting a Chiropractor 1 time. It was great, he explained birth trauma and then all the pieces of the puzzle came together. google "chiropractic & infant care" and you will love the info you'll find....But I will say it's one of those things that the ped's wont tell you b/c they believe med's will cure it,,,,& that's BS b/c I haven't met a Mommy yet that was satisfied w/ meds for their little one. Nonetheless, if the spit up is minimal don't worry and continue to BF...cow milk is for cows & ur milk is for ur baby! good luck & congrats on Breastfeeding. love it!!!

if he is spitting up after feeding, he potentially COULD have reflux - sucking/nursing helps to relieve the pain - or he could just be a spitter. on the paci - http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T023100.asp weight - http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T023600.asp reflux - http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/t106000.asp weight - http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/growth/weight-toomuch.html
all things BFing - http://www.kellymom.com

Wow, so I went through pretty much the same thing. My son had reflux though. When he ate he spit up EVERYTIME, now he is almost 5 months old and he spits up only occasionally now. BTW, I completely agree with the others, breastfeeding is the best thing for your baby and if your ped. is trying to discourage it, then I would start looking for another one.

Oh my god... My first born was breastfed and weighed in at a whopping 17 pounds 10 oz at his 2 month check up. He averaged out in the end and has never been obese. Review the fact that breast fed babies do not gain on the same scale that bottle fed babies do even though the carts your doctor uses to compare your baby to are based on a mass bottle fed trend. I have my fourth child now and my oldest is 12. All of my kids were on demand fed only boob, no bottle no binki, no rice cereal. All are very healthy and eat better then any child I have met.
My little one now gained a pound a week for his first month and now is sitting in the 50th % for height and weight. They suckle or pacify for a reason. Your baby CAN NOT be over fed by your breast! I hope this helps. Good luck to you love... PS find another Dr... this is not the best road for a breastfeeding relationship.

My baby won't breastfeed but I watched my sister with her baby and had her help because she successfully breastfed my niece for nine months. Rather than giving her pacifiers my sister gave my niece her finger. My niece sucked my sister's fingers but you have to keep your hands extremely clean.

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